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The differences between operations directors and chief operating officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become an operations director, becoming a chief operating officer takes usually requires More than 10 years. Additionally, a chief operating officer has an average salary of $136,604, which is higher than the $104,050 average annual salary of an operations director.
The top three skills for an operations director include customer service, continuous improvement and oversight. The most important skills for a chief operating officer are healthcare, customer service, and oversight.
| Operations Director | Chief Operating Officer | |
| Yearly salary | $104,050 | $136,604 |
| Hourly rate | $50.02 | $65.67 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 114,993 | 128,993 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 44 | 52 |
| Years of experience | 6 | - |
Operations directors oversee all company operations. They have the power to set the direction, change the course of the organization, and reform strategies to ensure efficiency in how the company operates. Operations directors manage business operations effectively by constantly analyzing company data and by anticipating any challenge that may come their way. As such, they make sound business decisions and recommendations that will help strengthen the organization. Operations directors oversee finances, quality control, and even human resources. They ensure that all aspects of the business are considered in making business operations decisions.
A chief operating officer, also known as a COO, is a high-ranking official who oversees a company or organization's daily administrative and overall operations. They are typically the second in the chain of command, reporting directly to the company's chief executive officer, also known as a CEO. Among their duties include developing strategies and guidelines, reviewing reports, performing assessments, and implementing the company's policies, standards, and regulations. Additionally, they lead and empower staff to reach goals, helping solve issues and concerns when any arise.
Operations directors and chief operating officers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Operations Director | Chief Operating Officer | |
| Average salary | $104,050 | $136,604 |
| Salary range | Between $65,000 And $164,000 | Between $81,000 And $229,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | California | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Airbnb | Baker McKenzie |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between an operations director and a chief operating officer in terms of educational background:
| Operations Director | Chief Operating Officer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between operations directors' and chief operating officers' demographics:
| Operations Director | Chief Operating Officer | |
| Average age | 44 | 52 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 70.6% Female, 29.4% | Male, 76.6% Female, 23.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.1% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.9% Asian, 6.3% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 7.5% Asian, 7.5% White, 76.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 12% |